title: Renal sympathetic denervation for treatment of resistant hypertension - indigenous technique.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The endovascular approach of ablation of renal sympathetic nerves is found to be effective in the treatment of uncontrolled hypertension. We report here our experience with the procedure in eight patients with drug resistant hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included patients in whom the blood pressure remained above 150/90 mmHg despite being on minimum three antihypertensive drugs. Radiofrequency ablation of the sympathetic nerves of both the renal arteries was done using conventional ablation catheters. The patients were followed at 1-month, 3 months and 6 months post procedure and blood pressure recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients underwent successful renal sympathetic denervation. The mean blood pressure of the patients was 181/102.5 mmHg before the procedure and the average requirement of antihypertensive drugs per day was 4. A significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure was observed post procedure which sustained over the follow up period of six months. The mean blood pressure observed at 1-month, 3 and 6 months were 137.5/80 mmHg, 136/81 mmHg and 137.5/81 mmHg, respectively. The average requirement of the number of antihypertensives also was reduced to 2.5 at the end of 6 months. There were no procedural complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Catheter based renal denervation causes substantial and sustained blood pressure reduction without serious adverse events in patients with resistant hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, CARE Hospital and Research Institute, Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: Gajendra
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Manakshe
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chakravarthi
authors.forename: Shaista
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hussaini
authors.forename: Rajeev
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Menon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Srinivas Kumar
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ravi Kiran
authors.forename: Gomathi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sundar
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Narasimhan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000601:surgery*; D007668:Kidney / Q000294:innervation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013562:Sympathectomy / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult